Packing machine



Aug. 28, 1923. 1,466,045

A. JOHNSON PACKING MACHINE File J 51. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lV/T/VESJEJ INVE/VTUB ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1923. 1,466,045

A. JOHNSON PACKING MACHINE.

Filed Jan. :51. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR A TTOR/VE X A. JOHNSON PACKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 31. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN l/E IV TOR Patented Aug. 28, 1923.

ARON JOHNSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PACKING MACHINE.

Application filed January 31, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anon JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Queens. in the city of New York, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to packing machines, and more particularly to a type thereof adapted for use in packing granulated cork to formrods particularly adapted for use in producing what is known in the trade as composition cork disks or other sealing devices used in the bottling or analogous art, although such rods may be used for various other purposes.

The granular mass to be packed by a machine embodying my invention consists 0 ground or otherwise macerated cork, the various particles of which have a very thin coating of a viscous binding agent consisting of a composition having all of the properties of rubber as to its moisture, gas and acid resist-ant properties, and as to themanner of hardening or vulcanizing the product so as to permit the packing thereof in likelihood of while in the tubes or containers without solidification of the binder packing machine.

In machines of this character, it has been found essential to pack the rods in succeeding stages to secure rods of uniform density throughout their entire length, and avoid the development of excessive friction be tween the charge of cork and the wall 0 the tube in which it is packed, due to the tendency of the binder coated particles of cork to adhere to the walls of the tube and develop such friction and cause a premature compaction of at least a portion of the charge.

The foregoing characteristics of composition cork packing machines were known in the art prior to my present invention, which relates more particularly to those characteristics of the machine by which a pluralityof tubes will simultaneously receive a charge of predetermined volume which Serial No. 441,112.

will be simultaneously compacted by a plurality of differentially operative rams so as to secure the completion of one rod with each movement of the rams inwardly of the tubes.

Another characteristic of the invention, aside from the mechanism employed for delivering a charge to each tube above referred to, is the mechanism employed for imparting a step by step movement to the tubes in which the composition cork is being packed so as to ensure the bringing of said tubes successively into operative relation to sueceeding rams and accuracy of alinement of the tubes with the port of the charging head and the rams.

The invention consists primarily in a packing machine embodying therein a movable tube supporting mechanism having openings in the top thereof in axial alinement with the openings in the tube, means for imparting intermittent movement to said support, a hopper, an immovable filling head communicating with said hopper and having outlet ports therein adapted to register With the openings in said support, measuring devices mounted in said hopper adjacent each of said ports, means whereby said measuring devices will be actuated with each actuation of said supportto deliver a fixed quantity of cork composition from said hopper to each outlet port,a sequence of reciprocatory rams, one adjacent each measuring device, said rams bein actuated simultaneously with relation to each other, but progressively with relation to the tubes carried by said support, and means synchronized with the actuating means for said support, whereby said rams erated between succeeding actuations of said support; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as. are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention, broken away at different points thereof;

Fig. 2 Fig. 1;

is a section on the line 2-2 of will be differentially opcolumn 7) Fig. 3 is a development of the structure embracing the various rams, the actuating ring co-operating therewith, and the various tubes to be packed;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the actuating mechanisms for the tube supporting structure;

Fig. 5 is a'perspective view of one of the charging mechanisms, and

Fig. 6 is a detailed view in perspective showing the ejecting mechanism. for the filled tubes.

Like letters refer to out the several views.

A machine embodying my invention ineludes therein a movable support for a sequence of tubes in which the cork composition is to be packed; a plurality of rams or packing rods adapted to enter the various tubes with a differential quantity of movement; and a hopper for the composition cork provided with a plurality of measuring or charging devices corresponding in number with the number of rams or packing rods. The support for the tubes is subject to an intermittent or step by-step movement, synchronized with the reciprocatory movement of the rams or packing rods, movement of said support occurring when each of said rams or rods has been completely withdrawn from the tube with which it is at the time associated,so as to permit the delivery of a new charge to all of the tubes which are in operative relation to said rams or rods, while the-tubes are stationary and the rams or rods are withdrawn therefrom.

In describing the machine of my invention, I will consider first the detail structure of the tube supporting mechanism, then the structure of the hopper and its associated charging devices, with that of the ram structure and its actuating means, and finally describing the actuating means for the tube supporting structure and the other mechanisms in and about the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, the frame of the machine is shown as consisting of a suitably supported annular table a having a arranged centrallythereof and spaced away therefrom sufficiently to afford clearance for the tube supporting structure, the sup-ports for the hopper and the actuatmg means for the various rams or packing 10(S.

Rotatably mounted upon said table a is a base ring 0 having a plurality of recesses or sockets c at spaced distances adjacent the periphery of the upper face thereof, said recesses or sockets being adapted to receive the lower end of a plurality of tubes in which the cork composition is to be packed.

like parts through- Supported from sald base ring a by means rods 0 is a head ring J of suitable stay following this description havin in the eri he thereof a luralit of ree esses or socl i ets a i' each bf vhieh i: directly opposite a recess or socket c in the base ring 0. The rings 0 and (Z are adapted to have imparted thereto, an intermittent or step by step rotary movement to secure the progressive filling and packing of. each tube mounted thereupon, so that after the machine is once in operation, one completely filled and packed tube will be delivered with each movement of said support.

Supported from the table a by means of stay rods 6 is afillin'g or charging ring f positioned above the head ring (2 a distance suflieientto bring the upper ends of the various tubes in close proximity thereto, said ring being of greater width than the ring 03 So as to prO ect beyond same and form the bottom of a hopper, the outer wall f of which projects upwardly and outwardly of the outer edge of said ring so as to cause the cork composition therein contained to descend by gravity toward the bottom of the ho per, or the ring f.

Extending through the said ring 1 adja cent the inner periphery thereof, are a sequence of spaced which each tube fed. into 'the machine is adapted to successively register. The number of such ports is less than the number of recesses or sockets in the rings 0 and d, respectively, although spaced apart the same distance. since during a certain portion of each complete revolution of the tube sup porting structure, allowance must be' made for the delivery of the completely packed tubes and the feeding of empty tubes to the machine, during which interval the feeding of cork through the charging ring is to be avoided. Throughout the arc of the ring) in which there are no such charging ports, it provide nohopper space since such an increase in the capacity of the hopper would be unnecessary and undesirable.

Carried by the ring 7 adjacent the inner periphery thereofis what may be termed a guide ring 9 having a pendent annular flange g tom of the hopper, a sequence of upwardly extending guide bosses g for the arms or packing rods, and an overhang to which the inner wall f of the hopper is secured and in which a sequence of measuring devices have an upper mounting.

The openings through the guide bosses g are axially alined with the charging ports 7. and mounted between the overhang of the ring (I and thewcharging ring f adjacent each of the ports 7" is-an intermittently rotatable measuring device It consisting of a plurality of vertically extending blades, the

forward face of which, in the direction of its movement, is curved on substantially the same radius as the ports 7.

Each of said measuring devices in the closing the inner edge of the botcharging ports 7 with form of the invention shown in the drawings, receives a 90 movement with each ac tuation of the tube supporting structure, so that I employ four such blades of a height to extend in close proximity tothe lower face of the overhang and the upper face of the charging ring f, and the length of which is such as to have movement in a hemi-cylindrical pocket formed upon the flange g,

by the webs 9' adjacent each port f By this construction the various vanes. k, if, k and k upon the measuring device 7L will enter and leave the pocket formed by the webs g in a manner to extend, during a portion of each cycle of their operation, beyond the outer edge of said guide ring g into the mass of cork composition contained towards the bottom of the hopper, and thus ensure a complete filling of the space between succeeding va-nes, so as to ensure the delivery of a uniform quantity of said composition to within said hemi-cylindrical chamber, and ultimately to the port at the bottom of same through succeeding actuations of said member h.

The lower arbor of said member it projects through the ring f to a point below the lower face of the head ring 03 and carries a fourpoint star wheel 2' adapted to be engaged by tappets (Z carried on the under face of the ring (1 and arranged in advance of each of the recesses or sockets d so as to ensure the actuation of the member h prior to the tube adjacent the tappet which actuates said member, coming into register with the outlet opening through which the charge is to be delivered to the tube.

The members h in addition to segregating and delivering a charge of fixed volume with each actuation thereof, also serve to agitate the mass of cork composition adjacent the bottom of the hopper, so as to ensure the desired descent of such composition contained within the hopper, toward the chargin mechanism.

Slida ly mounted ineach of the guide bosses g is a vertically reciprocatory ram or packing rod, which rams or packing rods respectively pass through a presser ring j which controls the reciprocatory movement of said rods respectively.

In the machine shown in the accompanying drawings, I employ twenty-four rams or packing rods, which are indicated by the numerals 1 to 24 respectively. While the p'resser ring y' has a uniform length of recip-.

rocatory motion, the rams or rods have a differential movement in relation to the tubes with which they si'multaneouslv co-operate, the pressure for securing the desired compactlon of each charge of the cork composition in each of said tubes being applied to said rods simultaneously and to the same extent by means of an impact block y" carried by each of said rams or rods adapted to be engaged by said ring. For convenience in assembling and in adjusting the machine, the said blocks j are adjustably mounted upon the rams or rods.

All of said rams or rods are of the same length and the upper end of each is provided with an enlargement j adapted to be engaged by the top of said presser ring, the stepped relation of the rods when in their lowermost position causing the ring to successively engage said enlarged heads j thus imparting a differential return movement to the different rods, but ensuring their simultaneous disengagement from the several tubes, the initial entry of the rams or rods into the tubes being simultaneous.

The inner periphery of the base ring 0 is provided with a plurality of' radially extending ratchet studs adaptedto be engaged by a counterweighted, hooked pawl 70. Said studs correspond in number with therrecesses or sockets of the tube supporting mechanism, and the said pawl receives a reciprocatory movement limited to that required to impart movement to said supporting mechanism equalling the distance between succeeding charging ports f. The end-of the pawl is bevelled as shown at k to ensure its disengagement with one of said studs and its engagement with the adjacent stud upon the succeeding oscillation of the pawl.

Said pawl is pivotally connected with one arm of a lever m, the other arm of which carries an anti-friction roller bearing upon the cam m carried upon the power shaft Said lever is acted upon by a spring 772? which imparts a return movement to said lever and to the pawl carried thereby under the control of said cam. The rise of the said cam m may be So formed as to secure any desired speed of movement of the tube supporting mechanism and the timely initiation of such movement to facilitate the delivery of the cork through the various ports f to the various tubes associated therewith, and synchronize the functioning of said pawl with that of the bar presser ring.

Mounted on the'frame of the machine adjacent said ratchet studs is a detent pawl 0 opposed-in its action to that of the feed pawl 70, said pawl 0 being disengaged from each stud prior to the initial feeding movement of said feeding pawl, and. being positioned to engage the succeeding stud just prior to the termination of such feeding movement, thus preventing any tendency of the tube supporting mechanism to overrun, with resultant absence of register between the tubes and thecharging ports and resultant collision of the rams or rods with the ends of said tubes. Said holding .pawl is actuated by the member 0" which moves in synchronism with the lever m.

Carried by the shaft n is a crank wheel p.

- gradually increasing which is operatively connected by means of the pitman p with the slide g which carries the presser ring j.

Said slide is mounted upon suitable slideways I) in the column 1), suitable clearance being provided below the bottom of said slideway to accommodate the throw of said pitnian. To facilitate a quick initiation of the return or upward movement of said slide and of the presser ring j carried thereby, I connect the counterweight therewith.

By actuating the presser ring j by means of a crank wheel, ll secure avariable speed in said ring ensuring a slow action when the crank is at the upper center, which will afford ample time for the delivery of the cork composition with relation to the several charging ports f and permit at least a portion of the cork to enter the tubes before the various rams or packing rods become operative to force any portion of said composition from the measuring device into the tube. During the downward movement, the speed'of the ring j will be rapid, permitting a rapid movement of the rams or packing rods until the crank is approaching the lower center of the. crank wheel, at which time the said rams or rods will be in engagement with the charge of cork within each tube. During the actual compressing or compacting operation, the movement of the ring j, which at this time is in engagement with the various impact blocks y, will be slow, and the pressure developed will be a pressure until the crank reaches the lower vertical center,

,whereu'pon there will be a correspondingly .gradual. decrease of pressure which Will avoid the development of an undesirable suction between each ram or packing rod and the compacting material in the tubefthe speed of the return movement increasing after the pressure'on each, ram or rod has been thus relieved, the speed of the ring being reduced during-the lastquadrant .of the cycle of the crank wheel. In this manner, I secure high speed in the operation of the machine, since the ram or packi rod movement will be slow during .the c arging operation and during the compact'ng operation, but will be rapid during all other portions of each cycle of operation.

4 The main source, of power of e machine, consists of the power shaft 1' which may be driven in any desired manner as by means of the pulley W, said shaft having mounted thereon a. gear 1 meshing with the gear r carried by the shaft n.

About the outer edge of the table flange .s extending in an arc coincident in length with thatarc in which the various ports f are contained, the height of this flange being suificient to prevent the escape of the lower-ends of the various tubes from the base ring 0, duringtheinterval while the dis a necaoee various charges of cork composition are being delivered to and packed in each of said tubes.

If desired, suitable friction holding means 8 may be employed within the various recesses or sockets d to prevent the accidental escape of the tops of the tubes.

Acting upon the tubes, beyond the last charging port f considered in the direction of movement of the tubes, is a cam or cams t which will engage'the inner side of, and eject each tube from, the machine after it leaves its position in relation to said charging port.

The operation of the herein described machine is substantially as follows The machine having been actuated to raise the pressure ring 7' to the full extent,-

and thus position all of the rams or packing rods 1 to 24 above the charging ring d and chambers formed by the webs 9 the hopper is filled with the cork composition and a tube is mounted in each pair of recesses c-Z' below each of the ports 7.

Power is then applied to the machine, the first 180 of movement of the crank wheel imparting a downward 'movement to the presser ring j, thus permitting all of the rams or packing rods 1 to 24 to descend by gravity into the various-tubes, which are indicated at u in the drawings, no cork being delivered to any of said tubes and no pressure being developed by said presser ringupon the various rams or rods. During the remainder of the complete rotation of said crank wheel, the direction of movement of the ring 7' will be reversed, and said ring will be restored to its normal elevated position, and the various rams or packing rods will be elevated to their full extent where they will be completely withdrawn from the various tubes, and positioned above and out of engagement with, the various measuring devices 7:.

While the plungers are thus being elevated, the cam m will actuate the lever m in a manner to disengage the pawl 7: from one ratchet stud k. and engage it with the preceding-stud, the detent pawl 0 being simultaneously raised, preparatory to the return actuation of said pawl 70' for imparting a short rotative movement-to the tube tween the centers of succeeding charging ports f As the ring d is thus turned, the studs d adjacent each of the star wheels 2' will rotate the vanes h to h of each measuring device, and thus convey a uniform charge of the cork composition from adjacent the bottom of the hopper to within the re cessedhhamber formed above ahdaboiit each of said ports f, the completion of the movement of said charging device occuring substantially simultaneously with the coming to rest of the tube supporting mechanism. The thickness of the various blades h to h is sufiicient to cover enough of the port 7 to prevent the escape of cork through said port except under conditions when it will enter the tube. At the same time an empty tube will be ejected from the machine by the cams t, the operator in the meanwhile having fed tubes to the machine so as to ensure continuity in the operation of the machine.

During the continued run of the machine, the operator will replace each ejected tube with an empty tube, so that at all times the recesses or sockets 'cd which are brought into operative relation to the various charging ports f will contain a tube to be filled and packed.

The movement of the lower end of each ram or plunger ring vertically through the charging scoop after it is disengaged from the tube with which it is associated, will atford an interval sufficient to permit the step by step movement of the rings (2 and (l and their appurtenances at a sufliciently low speed to avoid the development of excessive moving inertia. The drop of the detent pawl 0 before the completion of the feeding movement by the pawl 70 will, however, prevent anytendency of said rings to overrun and ensure accuracy in the register of the various tubes to with the various ports f Of course it is understood that any means other than said detent pawl may be employed to secure this result, said pawl having been used merely because it is an old and well known expedient for avoiding overrunning of a rotative member.

Immediately following the coming to rest of the various tubes, the presser ring j will be forced downwardly first by a slow movement and then by a more rapid movement, theslow movement afiording time for a substantial part of the cork composition to fall by gravity into each tube, the balance of the cork contained within the recessed chamber adjacent the scoop blades of the member in being pushed by the ram or packing rod into the tube without such compaction as will develop friction between the twenty-four, the delivering only of partially packed cork composition.

Thereafter, however, each descent of the ring will, as a result of the differential movement of the various rams or packing rods 1 to 24, result in the completion of one completely packed tube, the packing of which has been accomplished in twenty-four uniform stages, each stage consisting of the packing of a fixed, measured quantity of the cork composition through a fixed, definite )ressing movement of a ram or packing rod.

y thus controlling the quantity of the composition contained in each charge, having the delivery conditions uniform, and the pressing conditions uniform, I secure cork rods of uniform density throughout, a result which cannot be secured if an attempt be made to pack too great a mass of the cork composition with a single ramming operation.

With each cycle of operations of the machine after the delivery of the first twentyfour tubes in starting, the various rams or packing rods, with the descent of the presser ring j, will descend by gravity until they engage the charge which has just been delivered to each tube. Since the quantity of the cork composition contained in each tube will be progressively greater from 1 to 24, it is apparent that as the various rams or rods come to rest, the tops thereof will be stepped similarly to the stepped condition of the composition in the various tubes, but that all of the blocks 9' will occupy substantially the same horizontal plane so that a uniform, simultaneous pressure will be developed upon all of said rams or rods which will be advanced to the same extent.

Since the reciprocatory movement of the ring j is fixed, it is apparent that said ring will have movement in relation to some of the rams or rods in excess of its movement in relation to the others, after the engagement of said rams or rods with the cork within the respective tubes, since said rams or rods will descend into such engagement by gravity with a rapidity commensurate with the movement of said ring.

It will also be apparent that the stepped position of the rods when in their lowermost position, will result in the ring picking up the r0dsprogressi'veljfiifitittoward the final cork composition and the Wall EJhe tUbeTmBvEIHent, but that after it has picked up Owing to the graduatedheights of the (blocks j e'afiied by the rams or packing rods 1 to 24, the charge in the tube adjacent the ram or rod 1 only will be compacted during this operation. In fact, when first starting a machine, the first twentyfour tubes delivered, when the machine has a twenty-four tube capacity, will contain either no cork composition, such composition unpacked, or as to the last tubes of the the twenty-fourth rod, it will simultaneously move all of the rods to the same extent, thus ensuring their substantially simultaneous egress from the various tubes and the various measuring devices.

By combinin a measuring device of the character described with the ram or packing rod mechanism described, and by accurately timing the functioning of thesedevices with relation to each other, and by simultaneousshown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope .of the invention.

Having described the invention, what ll claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A packing machine embodying therein a movable tube supporting mechanism having openings in the top thereof in axial alinement with the openings in the tube,

means for imparting intermittent movement to said support, a hopper, an immovable filling head communicating with said hopper and having outlet ports therein adapted toregister with the openings in said sup port, measuring devices mounted in said hopper adjacent each of said ports, means whereby said measuring devices will be actuated with each actuation of said support to deliver a fixed quantity of cork composition from said hopper to each outlet port, a sequence of reciprocatory rams, one adjacent each measuring device, said rams being actuated simultaneously with relation to each other, but progressively with relation to the tubes carried by said support, and means synchronized with the actuating means for said support, whereby said rams will be differentially operated between suc ceeding actuations of said support.

2. A packing machine embodying therein a movable tube supporting mechanism having openings in the top thereof in axial alinement with the openings in the tube, means for imparting intermittent movement to said support, a hopper, an immovable filling head having a sequence of chambers communicating with said hopper and a port in each of said chambers through which cork composition may be delivered directly to tubes in said support, a measuring device in each chamber consisting of a rotatable member having a plurality of vanes adapted to intermittently enter said hopper and the chamber with which the,

measuring device is associated, means whereby said measuring devices will be actuated with each actuation of said support adjacent each measuring device, said rams being actuated simultaneously with ,lrelatioii to each other, but progressively with relation- .will be difl'erentially operated between succeeding actuations of said support.

3. A packing machine embodying therein a movable tube supporting mechanism having openings in the top thereof in axial alinement with the openings in the tube, means for imparting intermittent movement to said support, 'a hopper, an immovable filling head having a sequence of chambers communicating with said hopperand a port in each of said chambers through which cork composition may be delivered directly to tubes in said support, a measuring device in each chamberconsisting of a rotatable member having a plurality of vanes adapted to-intermittently enter said hopper andthe chamber with which the measuring device is associated, each of said vanes being curved in the direction of'its movement upon a radius substantially the same as that of said outlet port, and having sufiicient width to partially cover said port, whereby delivery of the composition is prevented unt l the tube is properly positioned with relation to the port, means whereby said measur ng devices will be actuated with each actuation of said support to deliver a fixed quantity of cork composition from said hopper to each outlet port, a sequence'of reciprocatory rains, one adjacent each measuring device, said rams being actuated simultaneously with relation to each other, but progressively with relation to the tubes carried by said support, and means synchronized with the actuating means for said support, whereby said rams will be differentially operated between succeeding actuations of said support.

4:. A packing machine embodying therein a movable tube supporting mechan sm having openings in the top thereof in axial alinement with the openings in the tube, means i for imparting intermittent movement to said support, a hopper, an immovable filling head having a sequence of chambers communicating with said hopper and a port in each of said chambers through which cork composition may be delivered directly to tubes in said support, a measuring device in eachchamber consisting of a rotatable member having a plurality of vanes adapted to intermit-tently enter said hopper and the ChaII'h ber with which the measuring device is associated, a star wheel'carried byrsaid r tatable member and projecting adjacent the top of said tube supporting mechanism, an abutment carried by said last named mechanism in advance of each tube supporting opening therein, and adapted to engage said star wheel, whereby said measuring deviceswill b a tuated with each actuation of said support to deliver a fixed quantity of cork composition from said hopper to each outlet port, a sequence of reciprocatory rams, one adjacent each measuring device, said rams being actuated simultaneously with relation to each other, but progressively with relation to the tubes carried by said support, and means synchronized with the actuating means for said support, whereby said rams will be differentially operated between sue-- means for imparting intermittent movement to said support, a hopper, an immovable filling head having a sequence of chambers communicating with said hopper and a port in each of said chambers through which cork composition may be delivered directly to tubes in said support, a measuring device in each chamber consisting of a rotatable memher having a plurality of vanes adapted to intermittently enter said hopper and the chamber with which the measuring device is associated, each of said vanes being curved in the direction of its movement upon a radius substantially the same as that of said outlet port, and having sufiicient width to partially cover said port, whereby delivery of the composition is prevented until the tube is properly positioned with relation to the port, means whereby said measuring devices will be actuated with each actuation of said support to deliver a fixed quantity of cork composition from said hopper to each outlet port, a bearing boss above each of said chambers and in axial alinement with the outlet port of said filling head, a sequence of reciprocatory rams mounted in said bosses respectively and adapted to pass vertically through the measuring device adjacent said boss and said outlet port, and enter a tube, said rams being actuated simultaneously with relation to each other, but progressi'vely with relation to the tubes carried by said support, and means synchronized with the actuating means for said support, whereby said rams will be differentially operated between succeeding actuations of said support and said measuring devices.

6. A packing machine embodying therein a movable tubesupporting mechanism having openings in the top thereof in axial alinement with the openings in the tube, a sequence of ratchet studs upon said support, a pawl co-operatingtherewith, means for reciprocating said pawl,

whereby a step by step movement is impart ed to said support, a hopper, an immovable filling head communicating with said hop- -per and having outlet ports therein adapted to register with the openings in said supp rt, meas g de ices m un e n a d hopper adjacent each of said ports, means whereby said measuring devices will be actuated witheach actuation of said support to deliver a fixed quantity of cork compo sition from saidhopper to each outlet port, a' sequence of reciprocatory rams, one adjacent each measuring device, said rams be ing actuated simultaneously with relation to each other, but progressively with rela tion to the tubes carried by said support, and means synchronized with the actuation, of said pawl, whereby said rams will be differentially operated between succeeding 'actuations of said support.

71A packing machine embodying therein a movable tube supporting mechanism having openings in'the' top thereof in axial I alinement with the openings in the tube, a sequence of ratchet studs upo-nsaid support, a pawl co-operating therewith, means for intermittently reciprocating said pawl, whereby step by step movement is imparted to said I I support,intermittently actuated means operative upon said support and cooperating with said actuating pawl, whereby overrunning of said support with each actuation of said'pawl is prevented, a hopper, an immovable-filling head communicating with said hopper and having outlet ports therein adapted to register with the openings in said support, measuring devices mounted in said hopper said measuring devices will be actuated with each actuation of said support to deliver a fixed quantity of cork composition from said hopper to each outlet port, a sequence of reciprocatory rains, one adjacent each measuring device, said rams being actuated simultaneously with relation to each other, but. progressively with relation to the tubes carried by said support, and means synchronized with the actuation of said pawl, whereby said rams will be difierentiallyoperated between succeeding actuations of said support.

- 8. A packing machine embodying therein a movablecarrier or support for a plurality of tubes to be packed, a hopper for cork. composition having a sequence of outlet ports through which composition may be delivered to tubes upon said support,'i1iterittently actuated means whereby a measadjacent each of said ports, means whereby a ured quantity of composition will be delivcarrier or support 'while said rams are withmeasuring device, said rams having abutments thereon arranged at graduated heights, and an enlarged head, a presser ring slidably mounted upon all of said rams between the abutments and the enlarged heads respectively, a crank wheel, a direct pitman connection between said crank wheel and said presser ring, a cam carried by the shaft of said crank wheel, an oscillatory lever actuated therefrom, a feeding pawlcarried by said lever, and a sequence of ratchet studs carried by said carrier or support and in operative relation to said pawl, said cam being so set as to actuate said lever and the pawl carried thereby, to impart movement to said carrier or support only while the crank of said wheel is positioned to Withdraw the various rams from the several tubes 10. A packing machine embodying therein a movable tube supporting mechanism having openings in the top thereof in axial alinement with the openings in the tube,- means for imparting intermittent movement to said support, a hopper, an immovable filling head communicating with said hopper and having outlet ports therein adapted to register with the openings in said support, measuring devices mounted in said hopper adjacent each of said ports, means whereby said measuring devices will be actuated with each actuation of said support to deliver a fixed quantity of cork composition from said hopper to each outlet port, a sequence of reciprocatory rams, one adjacent each measuring device, said rams being actuated simultaneously with relation to each other, but progresscively with relation to the tubes carried by said support, means synchronized with the actuating means for said support, whereby said rams will be differentially operated between succeeding actua-tions of said support. and ejector means beyond the last of said sequence of rams in the direction of movement of said support, adapted to engage and eject the completely packed tubes from said support.

In witness whereof I have hereunto ailixed my signature, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of January, 1921.

I ARQN JQHNSON.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH E. BYRNES, CHAS. E. MCMANUS. 

